


With your hand in mine, I'll be fine

by Yuulittledemon



Series: Ensemble Stars : Dorm AU [2]
Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dorm, Alternate Universe - High School, And titles, Anzu & Narukami Arashi are Best Friends, Anzu is Adorable, Arashi is Adorable, Aromantic Anzu, Epic Friendship, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, I'm Bad At Summaries, Light Angst, Mentioned Hakaze Kaoru, Mentioned Harukawa Sora, Mentioned Kagehira Mika - Freeform, Mentioned Tenma Mitsuru, Suporting Friends, love that this tag exists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:07:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24616528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yuulittledemon/pseuds/Yuulittledemon
Summary: After spending an horrible week of only working, Arashi decides she needs a break. What better to do when in need of energy than meeting up with your best friend?In this story, follow our favourite girls' friendship dynamic as they drink tea.[Note: The fics in this AU series are connected, however you don't have to read all of them to understand each OS. However, I recommand reading them all, to get the bigger picture of some relationships and the AU!]
Relationships: Anzu & Narukami Arashi
Series: Ensemble Stars : Dorm AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1702984
Kudos: 6





	With your hand in mine, I'll be fine

**Author's Note:**

> Short little mention of gender dysphoria, not going into detail at all, but I wanted to mention it. It'll be between [ ] if you want to skip it ^^

A warm feeling envelops Arashi in a needed hug as she takes a sip of her well deserved tea from the Amaryllis Teahouse. It’s been a while since she last stopped by the brown and white building. With piles of homework and exams towering up on her desk, the blonde haired girl has no time to go out and engage in her usual routine of visiting her favourite shops in town while going out with her friends. Thankfully, today, on this comfortable windy Sunday beginning of afternoon, Arashi is finally able to rest.

Arashi’s a social girl, she likes to keep up with friends and hang out with them as much as possible. On Wednesday she’d bringing them along with her to the flower shop she helps from time to time, ‘Heavenly Flowers’, or share a cup of tea with them after exams at the calm Amaryllis Teahouse. Everything that brings her comfort and joy, she’ll share it with her dear friends. So, since she’s had enough of all the work and really missed her friends, she decided to invite Anzu to her favourite teahouse.

She came to know the place from the flower shop. After Arashi complained about not being able to find a quiet place to drink her tea in peace, Amaryllis, the nice owner of the place that quickly became a new friend, immediately recommended his fiancé’s teahouse. 

At first, she was surprised to never have noticed the building he suggested. She blamed it on the front being pretty bland for a teahouse, until she saw the large sign with the name written on it with a flashy green. How could she miss it? But more importantly, how could she neglect how the teahouse owner named the place after his fiancé? If anything she’d notice a place named after one of her friends! 

After this discovery, the blonde melted in place. Arashi always dreams about a romantic love story, but so far, all she’s getting is morons and jerks. (Well, besides her best friend and some other classmates. But as much as she loves them, it’ll be weird to think of them as datable men. She’s like an older sister to them after all!) Arashi wishes it would be because of their age that they behave like that, but her mind likes to remind her that Amaryllis and his fiancé got together at the beginning of their second year of high school. And in what year is Arashi? Second year of high school.

She doesn’t need boys anyway, Arashi thinks as she rolls her blue eyes. She has her friends, and Anzu is much more important than boys not appreciating her enough. The mention of Anzu brings her back to her first line of thought.

It feels like forever ago since the blonde asked her unit neighbour for tea. If she wasn’t oblivious to how busy the brunette is, she’d probably feel bad for being such an awful friend. However, other units mentioned how much Anzu has been flooded with work this week. Mika, the best friend mentioned earlier she shares multiple classes with, made her aware of the brunette only having her Friday afternoon free this week. At first, she would have liked to visit Anzu then, but having heard her club friend Mitsuru wanting to cheer up the girl, Arashi figured she’d let them have some time together. In the end she asked Anzu to hang out to town on Sunday, and with an incredible luck, she was free from homework and the weather decided to be on their side.

She really can’t wait to see Anzu again. Arashi’s lips rise up in a smile at the thought of the brunette. Being the only two girls in the left wing of their dorm, it was bound for them to bond. Since they share a good amount of likes and hobbies, the two second years got along quickly and are now happy to be each other’s best friend. (Anzu’s her best GIRL friend, her mind provides. Let’s not forget Mika-chan!) The blonde brings a hand to her chin as she sighs fondly. This week has been hard for her, yet, the only thought of Anzu brings so much joy to her heart. What a beautiful euphoric state she is in.

Her blue eyes travel from staring at her left hand tracing random shapes on the table to the window. Outside, the street is busy, despite the chilly wind, but there is no sight of Anzu. A sigh leaves her mouth once again, this time deprived of happiness. She has to be patient, even if the teahouse is close to their dorm, it takes a good ten to fifteen minutes to reach it. And, her mind points out, Anzu isn’t part of the track club. Arashi chuckles, how could she forget how she walks faster than her shorter friend?

Ah, it brings back good memories. The brunette trying her hardest to catch up with her when they went shopping for cute phone cases, to Arashi reassuring her that it was alright if she asked her to slow down... Or when Anzu promised to work on her stamina more, so she’ll be able to walk alongside her… It isn’t the time to cry Arashi, you’re a strong girl!

Having shifted her gaze from her reflection in the cup, Arashi jumps a little as she notices the person she’s been thinking about for the past hour besides the wooden table.

“Oh my!” A smile finds its way on her face, despite the past terror, at the brunette waving in front of her. “Anzu-chan! Don’t do this to me, I could have died from a heart attack!” They share a heartfelt laugh. How often does this happen? The second year has a talent for appearing out of nowhere and scaring the sweet out of Arashi.

“Sorry Arashi-chan, I thought you heard me.” Sitting down again after sharing a hug with her friend, Arashi waves a hand around to ease Anzu’s worries. “Don’t worry dear, I was just being a little dramatic.” The two friends share a smile as the blonde takes a look at the brunette’s choice of clothing.

The second years share the same sense of fashion, at least Arashi loves what Anzu wears most of the time. (She doesn’t really like Anzu’s taste in pyjamas, she doesn’t wear shirts with cute designs? How!) But anyway, they usually share the same taste, so seeing her in a cute greenish jumper, black skinny jeans and adorable brown scarf? Iconic.

“Anzu-chan! How pretty! It suits you so well~ I wish I could wear this kind of clothing.” Making sure to whisper the latter part, Arashi offers the other girl to sit down. Now is not the time to think about that. Later in life maybe she’ll feel comfortable enough to wear more tight clothing. For now, she looks great in loose shirts and pants. Yes she does!

If her friend heard her last statement she doesn’t mention it, sitting quietly on the brown couch opposite of Arashi, a smile resurging on her face as she notices something in front of her. “Oh this! That’s just a little present from your Onee-chan~” Anzu takes the pastel purple pouch in her small hands tucked inside her jumper and opens it carefully. “You’re always running around campus with all you have to do, and since it’s getting colder those days I wouldn’t want you to get sick.” In her hands are now fluffy and undoubtedly warm brown gloves with white star pattern on them. Anzu doesn’t suppress the found smile appearing on her face.

“Arashi-chan,” the brunette whispers, “thank you.” Waving her hand again, Arashi adjusts her position on the couch and puts her elbows on the table, intertwining her hands together with a smile. “It’s nothing my dear. After all, I never really did anything to thank you last time.”

[Last time. It’s something they never really mentioned after it happened. It has been what- two whole months? Arashi has a hard time remembering, thankfully. It was a hard time for her, gender dysphoria hitting her pretty hard after having an unpleasant conversation with one of her unit members but ah- it’s alright now, everything is fine and Anzu helped her. Her friend’s intense gaze on her brings the blonde to the present.]

“You didn’t have to get me anything really, I’ll always be here to help you, Arashi-chan.” The second year blames the tears forming around her eyes on the teahouse’s bright lights. She tightens the hold Anzu has on her left hand in silent thanks. “But anyway, I see that you already got yourself something, I’m sorry you must have been here for a while.”

She’s always so nice, isn’t she? “Don’t worry about it~ We said around 2pm not 2pm sharp~” Arashi giggles, delicately replacing a lost blonde lock behind her ear, “I wanted to check out the flower shop before coming here, that’s why I was early.” As she finishes her sentence, Arashi politely calls a waiter to get Anzu’s order.

“How is Shinohara-san?” the brunette asks, eyebrows barely rising, “I hope he is doing well.” They thank the waiter after taking the order, Anzu asking for an Earl Grey tea while Arashi asks for some biscuit with her green tea. “Oh he’s doing very well!” Amaryllis and her talked a lot before she came to their current location. She likes gossiping about nothing and everything with the florist, he always has interesting stories to tell!

“The shop is doing amazing this week as well, he’s having a bliss taking care of everyone’s orders.” A giggle leaves the blonde’s mouth, “He told me there was this ten years old this morning who dragged his mom to the shop to get flowers for his dad.” Anzu’s eyes lights up at the story, “‘He was so adorable!’, he kept on repeating. Apparently it wasn’t for anything special as well. The kiddo only wanted to gift a flower to his father.” She wished being there a little earlier to get a sight of the exchange, adorable kids are her weakness after all. They’re so adorable and innocent, Arashi feels like a big sister around children. She just wants to take care of them forever.

“But anyway, how are you doing?” Arashi asks, eyeing the surely delicious brown and pink biscuit in her hands, looking for the perfect side to take a bite from, “It has been a while since we saw each other. Mitsuru-chan said he’ll check on you yesterday, right?”

Anzu’s raised eyebrows makes the blonde chuckle, “Check on me?”

“Did he not come after all?”

“He did,” Anzu’s emphasis on the last word doesn’t need any explaining as Arashi can already guess what made her club member’s visit unforgettable. “It looked more as if he came on a whim.” The girls nod their head in synch. Mitsuru can seem a little two-dimensional sometimes. Sorry Mitsuru-chan, the blonde winces, we all know you’re more than that!

“Actually,” Anzu starts after taking a sip of her tea, “we’re going to the park this afternoon with Sora-kun.”

Finishing chewing her biscuit first, Arashi gasps with wide eyes as she takes Anzu’s left hand in hers, “Anzu-nee-chan, that’s so sweet!” Barely missing the brunette’s face starting to flush, Arashi closes her eyes as she intertwines her hands, letting go of her friend’s, “You always make time to take care of the children, that’s so adorable of you.”

Seeing her friend mess around with her fingers as she mumbles incomprehensible words prompts Arashi to giggle, “Don’t forget to take care of yourself as well, alright?” Anzu hums, placing her empty teacup back on the table, “Yeah, I promise.”

After exchanging smiles, their conversation flows like the wind picking up outside, branches of trees hitting the teahouse’s windows in a rhythmic song. Arashi is the one leading the dance at the beginning until, slowly, Anzu opens up, comfortable enough as she talks more and more about her week and the funny encounters she had with their unit mates.

“No way, he asked you out, again?” The few curious eyes the blonde attracts goes unnoticed by the two girls, Arashi’s body shaking of laughter as Anzu sighs, her hands quickly hiding her face from view, “The nerve!” The girls shake their head in unison before the brunette mumbles, “He won’t understand, uh?”

“I mean,” Arashi wipes her hands clean with a napkin, “It’s Hakaze-senpai we’re talking about. The guy doesn’t realize it’s possible to love every gender.” The eyes Anzu gives her between her open hands sends her back into laughing land, “Do I need to tell him again that I can’t love him?” Her elbows on the table, Anzu sighs as she casts her gaze outside, “I hear it enough that aromantic people don’t exist, I don’t need to hear it from him.”

Laughter dying down as soon as Anzu finishes her last word, Arashi doesn’t waste time to take her friend’s hands in hers, “Dear, look at me.” Sparkling blue eyes meet blue lost ones, “You don’t have to come out to him, out of all people,” the older tries her best to convey the fondness she feels for her friends in her smile, “and, you, my dear Anzu, are valid.” Anzu’s hands start quivering in her steady ones, “You don’t need to love anyone romantically, it’s fine, it isn’t a crime.”

A moment pass, the background noise of the wind going through leaves and few customers talking is not enough to break the silence between our two close friends. The brunette takes a deep breath, hands still between Arashi’s, and her lips curves up, “Thank you, Arashi-chan.”

Tightening her hold on Anzu’s hand one last time before letting go, it takes no time for her face to light up, “I’ll always be there to help you, Anzu-chan.”

**Author's Note:**

> [June 12]  
> I started this the 24 of April and finished it on the 12 of June. Funny enough, this is in time for pride month as Anzu and Arashi are being supportive of each other. This was supposed to be fluffier, but I couldn't skip the serious tones their relationship have. I hope I was able to make their friendship justice!!! I love Ara-chan and An-chan so much. My girls I loove them! Aromantic Anzu is a huge headcanon of mine, which she is in this AU!! More rep for aro people yay! She's also ace, but it wasn't relevant to the story here so I didn't tag her as such. 
> 
> I'm glad I finally finished this, I had 4 drafts I couldn't finish, so finally finishing one, especially one I started long ago, makes me really happy! The other drafts I have are: The still ongoing Chiakana that is taking me a hard time to finish, A very funny Switch 5+1 that came from a headcanon I have that I started 2 days ago and is already long despite it being 1% of the fic and a very sad BNHA fic that idk why I'm writing as I make my best boy suffer (aka Denki my boy I'm so sorry) but it's gonna end well, it's just 90% sad until a very (hopefully) satisfying ending. 
> 
> But anyway! I hope you like this second fic in my Dorm!AU!!! I'll try to write more for it soon ^^ If you want to see anyone next, let me know! I'm really tempted to write Switch or Ryuyu or Mika (I miss my babies) but idk what to write for them lol. We'll see! First I gotta finish the other monsters I started... Sigh. Anyway, good night everyone! Stay safe, lots of love! Bye bye!


End file.
